What is US fluid ounce?

A US fluid ounce is a volume unit equal to approximately 29.57 millilitres. It is used in the United States for beverage servings, cooking measurements, and product labelling.

Real-world uses

US fluid ounces are used for beverage labelling (a standard can of soda is 12 fl oz), cooking measurements, and cosmetics packaging in the United States. Cocktail recipes and bartending rely heavily on fluid ounce measurements (a standard shot is 1.5 fl oz).

History

The US fluid ounce derives from the English wine gallon tradition. When the US and UK diverged in measurement standards in the 19th century, their fluid ounces ended up slightly different. The US fluid ounce is defined as 1/128 of a US gallon.

Common mistakes

Confusing US fluid ounces with Imperial fluid ounces—they differ by about 4% (US: 29.57 mL, Imperial: 28.41 mL). Also, confusing fluid ounces (volume) with avoirdupois ounces (weight), which are completely different measurements.

What is tablespoon (metric)?

A metric tablespoon is a volume unit equal to exactly 15 millilitres. It is widely used in cooking recipes in metric countries as a convenient measure for sauces, oils, and seasonings.

Real-world uses

The metric tablespoon (15 mL) is used in cooking recipes worldwide, particularly for oil, vinegar, sauces, and spices. It is also a common dosing measure for adult liquid medicines. Nutritional databases often list serving sizes in tablespoons.

History

The tablespoon evolved from the table or serving spoon and was adopted as a cooking measure. The metric tablespoon was standardized at 15 mL (3 metric teaspoons). In Australia, the tablespoon was standardized at 20 mL, creating a regional exception.

Common mistakes

Assuming a tablespoon is always 15 mL—the Australian tablespoon is 20 mL, and the US customary tablespoon is 14.79 mL. Failing to check which standard a recipe uses can alter the outcome of precise baking recipes.

When is this conversion used?

Converting US fluid ounce to tablespoon (metric) is useful in the volume domain when comparing values across different measurement standards or applying formulas that require a specific unit.

Worked examples

1 US fluid ounce = 1.97156864 tablespoon (metric)

1 tablespoon (metric) = 0.015 litre

How to convert US fluid ounce to tablespoon (metric)

To convert US fluid ounce to tablespoon (metric), multiply the value by 1.97156864.

To convert tablespoon (metric) back to US fluid ounce, multiply by 0.50721034.

Measurement standards

The cubic metre is the SI derived unit of volume. The litre, equal to exactly one cubic decimetre (0.001 m³), is accepted by the BIPM for use alongside SI units. Both the lowercase "l" and uppercase "L" are approved symbols for the litre.

Did you know?

An Olympic swimming pool holds 2,500 cubic metres of water — about 2.5 million litres. The Amazon River discharges roughly 209,000 cubic metres per second, enough to fill 84 Olympic pools every single second.

Quick reference: US fluid ounce to tablespoon (metric)

US fluid ouncetablespoon (metric)
0.10.19715686
0.50.98578432
11.97156864
23.94313728
59.85784319
1019.71568638
2549.28921594
5098.57843187
100197.15686375
250492.89215938
500985.78431875
1,0001,971.5686375

Common values

US fluid ouncetablespoon (metric)
A teaspoon0.16907011 US fluid ounce0.33333333 tablespoon (metric)
A cup of coffee8.45350568 US fluid ounce16.66666667 tablespoon (metric)
A water bottle16.90701135 US fluid ounce33.33333333 tablespoon (metric)
A bathtub10,144.20681055 US fluid ounce20,000 tablespoon (metric)
A swimming pool (Olympic)84,535,056.7546075 US fluid ounce166,666,666.66666669 tablespoon (metric)

Available Volume units

More US fluid ounce conversions